Various electronic devices are mounted on a vehicle. Conventionally, a wiring harness is used for electrically connecting the electronic devices to each other. The wiring harness is composed of a plurality of electric wires and a plurality of connectors attached to ends of the electric wires. Further, the connector is composed of a terminal and a housing receiving the terminal. When the connectors of the wiring harness are respectively fitted into connectors fixed to such as a case of the electronic devices, the electronic devices are electrically connected to each other.
In the aforementioned connector, sometimes a position gap is generated between the terminal of the connector and the terminal of the mating connector, so that the connector cannot be fitted into the mating connector. There is a terminal that can absorb the position gap with respect to the terminal of the mating connector, for example, a terminal disclosed in Patent Document 1. Further, there is a connector that can absorb the position gap with respect to the terminal of the mating connector, for example, a connector disclosed in Patent Document 2.
The terminal disclosed in the Patent Document 1 includes: a first female terminal part into which a first male terminal as “the mating terminal” is inserted; a second female terminal part into which a second male terminal as “the mating terminal” is inserted; and a coupling part coupling the first and second female terminal parts. A buffer part is provided on the coupling part, formed narrower or thinner than the other parts of the coupling part. In this terminal, when the buffer part is elastically deformed in a thickness direction, the first or the second female terminal part is moved in the thickness direction to absorb the position gap between the first male terminal and the first female terminal part, or the position gap between the second male terminal and the second female terminal part.
The connector disclosed in the Patent Document 2 includes: a terminal attached to an end of an electric wire; an inner housing receiving the terminal; an outer housing movably receiving the inner housing receiving the terminal; and a spring washer biasing the inner housing toward a mating connector. Further, a stopper is provided on an inner wall of the outer housing to prevent the inner housing from falling out of the outer housing. In this connector, when connecting to the mating connector, the spring washer is elastically deformed so that the terminal is electrically connected to the terminal of the mating connector, thereby, the inner housing receiving the terminal is moved in the outer housing to absorb the position gap between the terminal and the terminal of the mating connector. Further, when this connector is fitted into the mating connector, the spring washer absorbs an impact load applied to the inner housing, thereby the inner housing is prevented from being damaged.